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EU, UK set new deadline over post-Brexit talks
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gave themselves until Sunday to decide on the future of post-Brexit negotiations, after a three-hour dinner left the two sides 鈥渇ar apart.鈥
Johnson went to Brussels on Wednesday in a last effort to salvage trade talks that are teetering toward failure and the two leaders agreed that their negotiators should attempt one last push to bridge the divide.
鈥淲e had a lively and interesting discussion on the state of play across the list of outstanding issues,鈥 Von der Leyen said in a statement after the dinner.
鈥淲e gained a clear understanding of each other鈥檚 positions.
鈥淭hey remain far apart,鈥 she concluded.
A senior UK source said the talks were 鈥渇rank鈥 and that it remained unclear whether the 鈥渧ery large gaps鈥 between the two sides can be bridged.
The leaders agreed to further discussions by their negotiating teams 鈥渙ver the next few days鈥 and that a 鈥渇irm decision鈥 should be taken by Sunday, the UK source said.
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the Sunday deadline set by Britain and the EU for a decision was final 鈥 though he added 鈥測ou can never say never entirely.鈥
Johnson had jetted over to Brussels where he made his name as an EU-bashing newspaper reporter. After posing for press pictures, Johnson and von der Leyen headed in for a meeting that was treated as the almost-final chance of a breakthrough before Britain leaves the EU single market at the end of the year.
Though prospects for a breakthrough were slight, Johnson 鈥渄oes not want to leave any route to a possible deal untested,鈥 the UK source said, after the two ate a dinner of scallops and steamed turbot, two of the seafood varieties that European boats fish for in British waters.
鈥淎 good deal is still there to be done,鈥 Johnson had told the UK parliament before setting off for Brussels, while insisting Britain would 鈥減rosper mightily鈥 with or without agreement.
Months of trade talks have failed to bridge the gaps on three issues 鈥 fishing rights, fair-competition rules and the governance of future disputes.
While both sides want a deal, they have fundamentally different views of what it entails.
The EU fears Britain will slash social and environmental standards and pump state money into UK industries, becoming a low-regulation economic rival on the bloc鈥檚 doorstep 鈥 hence the demand for strict 鈥渓evel-playing-field鈥 guarantees in exchange for access to its markets.
The UK government sees Brexit as about sovereignty and 鈥渢aking back control鈥 of the country鈥檚 laws, borders and waters. It claims the EU is trying to bind Britain to the bloc鈥檚 rules indefinitely.
Yesterday, the European Commission laid out contingency plans for a no-deal Brexit to limit disruption to air traffic, and road and rail travel.
The executive body also proposed that Britain and the EU continue to offer reciprocal access to their fishing waters for up to a year.
In response, a UK government spokesperson said: 鈥淲e will discuss practical arrangements with the EU. We will look very closely at the details,鈥 while noting that Britain was already advanced in its own preparations.
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